Problem Free

There is a myth going around and honestly I think it is more like a cancer. It is spreading through out the world like a raging wildfire. The myth is simply this: If I am a Christian then my life will be problem free and happy. This is a LIE! 

The problem with this myth is that it isn't Christianity at all. This is not the faith of Paul, James, or Peter. Paul wrote most of  the New Testament while living with daily pain, a pain he called a "thorn in his flesh." 

And no where in my Bible can I find where Jesus ever tells us that being a Christian will easy or problem free. Christ lived a life filled with rejection, loneliness, betrayal from one of his friends, physical pain, social abuse from his own people, and the worst physical torture you can imagine. My own experiences with the death of my wife and other things that I have endured, I have discovered that Christ offers the only solution to my problems and pain and this promise lasts longer than any message from some smiling, sugared up so called preacher. 

Another cool thing: Jesus totally relates to my pain. In his life he experienced loss just like me. His life didn't end up sipping mimosas on some beach in the Caribbean. His life ended with public humiliation and grueling pain. Trust me when I tell you this: Christ knows what it means to suffer. 

Paul was on of God's favorite and most beloved chosen instrument as far as I can tell and if God wouldn't remove this great Man's pain why would He find me any better or more deserving of deliverance from my pain. Paul's struggle with pain does not mean God has abandoned us or is displeased with you or me. 

Bill Graham once said, "No matter how many sins you've committed or whatever you've done, whatever you are, God loves you!" We need not doubt God's love for us when our lives become difficult or when we experience great loss. 

Take the time to spend with Him seeking His strength when and where you need it. 

God can work good from all sorts of situations in our lives. Only He can work good from evil. His promises are prove over and over again. 

We have a greater hope than just surviving a numbed and lonely life. We have living left to do. There are those we are meant to share this adventure with. Each one of us has a specific purpose and a destination to keep advancing towards. We just have to seek God and ask Him for His strength and live in His hope!